111 replies to this topic

[shadylee]

Hi Everyone!  My name is Lisa and i'm finally starting accutane!  I am 45 years old and have tried everything..my acne was always pretty much manageable up until about 2 years ago.  Thats when i started to develop cystic acne which i never had, wow it was so upsetting.  It made me get to a dermatologist FAST.  Since then have tried antibiotics and many topicals to no avail..about a year ago my derm offered accutane to me, and i was like no way!  I was so scared of it, did not want to put my body thru it..as i get older i really think about my health alot more than i used to.  Well it was still pretty manageable til a few months ago..thats when cyst after cyst would happen and i would be running to the derm office every week for cortisone shots..it got so tiring, so draining...and not to mention the anxiety that goes with it.  About 3 months ago, my derm offered accutane again, and really talked about it to me..and thats when I started to read like every accutane on here lol...it all seemed less scary to me..it took me awhile to decide ,i kept hoping somehow my skin would correct itself..that all of a sudden my skin would realize i'm 45 years old and this isnt right! lol..but no such luck..so here i am, excited to be starting accutane.  I got home a little while ago from derm office, my bloodwork was all good, got my scrip, and got on computer to answer the dumb ipledge questions.  i thought i was going to run to pharmacy tonight and put my scrip in, but jeez i'm too tired.  So i will pick it up tomorrow after work and start tomorrow night, i am so excited...I will be doing 40 mg first month, and then 60 mg 2nd through 5th..Bye bye cysts!

[bodyandsoul]

Hi Lisa! So glad you are getting started! Even though I'm *only 30, I can relate to being an adult with persistent acne! It just plain SUCKS. It sucks for everyone but there's something about being an adult that just feels really unfair!

It took me a long time to get to the point that I was ready to take Accutane. I thought I'd never do it. And I think if I'd done it any sooner, I wouldn't have felt as comfortable....now that I have literally tried everything under the sun, I can feel confident that Accutane is the right choice. And I know it's going to work! Stay positive!

Looking forward to following your progress

[shadylee]

hi bodyandsoul! trying to stay positive, took my first pill this morning, was so scared! for some reason im looking at it like i wont really be enjoying my life for the next 150 days, its so ridiculous! looking at all the side effects in the pamphlet scared the hell out of me, but i popped the pill. its so hard bc my face is perfectly clear now, and not even bc ive been on antibiotics..i weaned myself off of the antibiotic few weeks ago bc i figured i wanted to purge my skin b4 accutane. my face will be clear and then BAM a huge cyst will come along, and when i say huge i mean huge...they have been so persitent coming so i know this is the right thing for me, im just truly scared. i'm also scared that i will have some crazy IB where a bunch of gigantic cysts will all come out at once. im like a cortisone shot addict lol, and not being able to get them while on accutane is going to kill me! if in 5 months i dont get these nasty things anymore this will be all worth it...will be so frkn nice not going to the derm every week to get a shot! gosh i hope i dont get any crazy side effects! me and the hubby going out shopping today specifically for all the products i need to get thru this..thank god for him, hes so supportive, dont know what i wld do without him!

im looking forward to following your progress..come on clear skin for the both of us!

[shadylee]

dying to know...how is it plucking eyebrows on accutane?? my eyebrows are like weeds lol

[shadylee]

Plucking is just fine. I haven't reacted badly to it at all. Ive done it 3 times since starting. Also thank you for reminding me. I need to do that today

Lol..i need to do it like 3 times a day! ..been nervous that it wld hurt my skin and wld have to have a caterpillar on my face for 5 months lol

Edited by shadylee, 11 August 2012 - 02:00 PM.

[ginanutrition]

Hi Lisa!

Congrats on finally taking this tremendous step for yourself. It's going to go well, I just know it. If not, at least you're not living in fear of the unknown.

I pluck my eyebrows every other day cause they're weeds. Haha

What kind of products are you going to pick up?

[shadylee]

Hi Gina! Thank you, i'm nervous as hell! Just got back from shopping, so far i just got the basics bc have a feeling its going to be lots of trial and error. Cetaphil face cleanser, cetaphil moisturizer, cerave pm face moisturizer...lips i'm having a problem with..i know everyone swears by aquaphor, i got some a couple of weeks ago bc i tend to have dry lips as it is and i really didnt like it..a little to gloppy for me and i think it gave me a lip zit. when i picked up my scrip the pharmacist recommended neosporin night time lip therapy..its not bad..but still not what i'm looking for..i just picked up some burts bee, and not really liking that either..gosh wish you could try the stuff before you buy it, lol...i also picked up supplements..biotin bc i'm sooo nervous about my hair, its my pride and joy...lysiene bc i have tendency to get cold sores, like getting cysts on my face wasnt enough, god had to throw a nice cold sore in every now and then ..milk thistle for the liver..and vitamin d which i have been taking bc my doctor says he's never seen someone with such low levels..i got vaseline, im not sure why haha...thought it might be a good thing to have...i was looking for a realllly good deep conditioner for my hair, but really didnt see anything that caught my eye..i'm sure on this journey i will be running out to the stores for something..i'm just happy i finally have started!!

[shadylee]

Day 2..absolutely nothing new to report..only 148 more days to go..wooohooo!!! hahahaha...my skin is looking pretty good now, but i know that wont remain, trying to mentally prepare myself..

[Tiger 1]

Finally you're part of the club!! Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones and the accutane will just clear you and not give you an ib. I woke up with a stupid new one yesterday! I haven't had a new one in about two months but it's under my chin so it's not noticeable and I'm sure it's because of my jump to 80mg. It's not nearly as bad as the ones I used to get so that's good but I made the mistake of picking at it so it's not looking too great right now. Fortunately my makeup stays much better on my face since being on the accutane. Just remember, if you breakout a little, it's all part of the process but I'll cross my fingers for you that doesn't happen. So glad you're finally on your way.

[shadylee]

Finally you're part of the club!! Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones and the accutane will just clear you and not give you an ib. I woke up with a stupid new one yesterday! I haven't had a new one in about two months but it's under my chin so it's not noticeable and I'm sure it's because of my jump to 80mg. It's not nearly as bad as the ones I used to get so that's good but I made the mistake of picking at it so it's not looking too great right now. Fortunately my makeup stays much better on my face since being on the accutane. Just remember, if you breakout a little, it's all part of the process but I'll cross my fingers for you that doesn't happen. So glad you're finally on your way.

Thank you Stacey!! Felt like forever to join...lol...i'd like to hope that i will be one of the lucky ones, but i know better! I have a spot near corner of my nose that i got shot awhile ago..its a wierd lump which i can only see..but its weird, doesnt feel like anything is in it..but frightened it will refill..cannot wait till the day i dont have to worry abt this!! Sucks you woke up with new one, at least its not noticeable, and its not as bad..sounds like the 80mg gettin the last of the bad stuff out! i've gotten a little better abt picking, but jeez its so hard not to! I saw that you've been using bag balm for your lips..do you like it? havin trouble finding something i like..
v

Edited by shadylee, 12 August 2012 - 08:00 AM.

[Summer5150]

Congrats on the beginning of your journey! Slow and steady wins the race. I have something on my chin today and I haven't had a new breakout in almost a month, so I had a bit of a panic attack. I had to remind myself that it's nothing like it was before, it will heal quickly and I'm only in the beginning of my 3rd month - so I'm not "supposed" to be fully clear yet. I know you can do this and I know it will help. It's really rough being an adult with this kind of chronic cyst stuff (or any age!), so hang in there and believe!

[shadylee]

tyty summer! yes so hard to deal with this! it stinks that i'll be in such a great mood, so happy...and then bam, can feel a cyst forming, my whole attitude changes...the worst part is the anxiety i think..i try to calm myself down, but its so hard..Hope your chin bugger goes away fast! ty so much for words of encouragement!

[kaydon]

dying to know...how is it plucking eyebrows on accutane?? my eyebrows are like weeds lol

Congrats on starting Accutane!!!

Plucking is easy while on Accutane, I've been doing it my whole course. Sometimes it leaves my skin tender and pink but it goes away fast. I made the mistake of getting my eyebrows waxed on my first course (I had no idea!) and chunks of skin came off and turned into lovely scabs. If tweezing is too much for you, you can get them threaded! Threading is a bit more pricey and painful though, lol.

[MissLarry12304]

Hi, Im very excited for you as I too start this on 10 September. Im on tetracycline at the moment just to get me through. I have to have all my bloods and the pregnancy tes and then off on holiday before I start, good luck x

[shadylee]

dying to know...how is it plucking eyebrows on accutane?? my eyebrows are like weeds lol

Congrats on starting Accutane!!!

Plucking is easy while on Accutane, I've been doing it my whole course. Sometimes it leaves my skin tender and pink but it goes away fast. I made the mistake of getting my eyebrows waxed on my first course (I had no idea!) and chunks of skin came off and turned into lovely scabs. If tweezing is too much for you, you can get them threaded! Threading is a bit more pricey and painful though, lol.

Hi, Im very excited for you as I too start this on 10 September. Im on tetracycline at the moment just to get me through. I have to have all my bloods and the pregnancy tes and then off on holiday before I start, good luck x

Day 2..absolutely nothing new to report..only 148 more days to go..wooohooo!!! hahahaha...my skin is looking pretty good now, but i know that wont remain, trying to mentally prepare myself..

U never know you might not get the IB at all. It seems like 50/50 of us get one. Lets hope you are in the 50% that don't. Glad to hear there is nothing to report. Side effect wise anyways. Soon you will notice a change in the complexion.

im soooo happy to hear plucking is not an issue..and oucheee kaydon, that mustve hurt, the waxing!! Miss White congratulations!! doesnt the wait suckkk?!?!..Beautiful..it would be nice not to get IB but thinking my skin wont be so nice to me,lol..but keeping my fingers crossed!! its so funny now that i started, time feels like it has totally stopped, cant wait to be well into it...its so weird thinking i will be on this thru the holidays..will end in sometime january, will be nice way to bring in the new year tho!

[clearly_dreaming]

Anxiety? I have that too. I take an anti-anxiety pill. Very low dose, but it works wonders. Keeps me from thinking other people are judging me.

Also, I was getting cysts well into my 2nd mo of my Accutane (claravis) treatment.

[shadylee]

I know what you mean about time stopping. It totally does feel like it in the start. All is you want is to be one of the people who are at day 110 or something. Trust me it will come quickly. Once you are over the novelty of being on accutane and you aren't waiting for something horrible or great to happen the days start to fly by. In the start I remember looking in the mirrior every 20 minutes waiting for something to change.

Once my IB started, it didn't stop for 3 more months. I was still getting new zits on a every other day basis until damn near my 4th month. It was terrible I am not going to lie. In the start of my IB I would no kidding have whiteheads sprouting on my face all day. Somedays I would get 2 - 10 white heads a day! Anytime one cleared up something would take its place, in clusters. It sucked and I am so glad that is in the past!!! I knew I was going to breakout because i hadn't been on antibiotics and or topicals for atleast 9 months prior to starting. So my face was a extra big mess.

Gina was lucky enough to have no IB, she had results from day 1. Taylor didn't get a IB and I don't think Lily or heather did either, so you have a chance of not getting one. Katie and I were the unlucky ones of the group

Hi Betsy...lol about looking in the mirror every 20 min, bc thats exactly what im doing!! i hope i stop being obsessed abt it soon..its like im waiting for my first cyst to pop up..cant believe how much time i spend thinking about my skin! i truly hope i'm one of the lucky ones, or i just get normal pimples..i just dont know how i'll deal if i get one of my gigantic cysts and not be able to get a cortisone shot..my tolerance level for huge bumps on my face has gone way down ..too many years of dealing with it! its funny bc my face is clear right now..and i emphasize right now..haha...but yet im still sittin here obsessing..yeesh!! well day 3..and nothing yet in side effects or face issues..not sure if thats good or bad...

Edited by shadylee, 13 August 2012 - 04:39 PM.